Premier Mao Chi-kuo today visited the site of the TransAsia Airways Flight GE235 crash to express condolences to the families of passengers who lost their lives and to thank search and rescue personnel for their efforts.
After expressing deep grief about the accident, the premier said that at present the foremost task is to find the three missing passengers. Technological equipment has been employed to aid this search.
Mao also emphasized that whenever a major disaster such as this occurs, the central and local governments work together to do their duties and give their all to rescue and relief efforts. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has organized the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) that is directing overall operations. Mao said the central government, like a brain, processes information and then allocates necessary resources such as machinery, while the local governments are like limbs, as they accomplish the necessary on-site work. A disaster prevention system must be set up this way to be complete, and the local and central governments are collaborating and fulfilling their duties, the premier stated.
Search and rescue work has been arduous because of the poor weather in recent days, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Li-chyun pointed out. The CEOC has coordinated with TransAsia Airways to provide heaters and asked the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to supply hot water. The premier today telephoned MND Minister Kao Kuang-chi to arrange the allocation of 20 drysuits for use by divers. The central government will do everything it can to provide whatever equipment is needed on site, Sun said.
In response to media allegations that the central government has not fully invested itself in dealing with the crash, Sun today said that at 12:15 p.m. on the day of the accident (February 4) Vice Premier Chang San-cheng had already arrived at the CEOC to direct dispatches of personnel and equipment. At 1:20 p.m., Premier Mao personally assumed command and led cross-ministerial cooperation at the CEOC, which had been established at the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA). Without delay, he ordered central government mobilization, inter-ministerial support and close contact and cooperation with relevant local governments in order to undertake rescue and relief as soon as possible.
In addition to immediately launching rescue operations, when disasters reach certain levels of severity both central and local governments shall establish emergency response centers to integrate resources for the purpose of rapid relief and rescue, as stipulated in Articles 12 and 13 of the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act, Spokesperson Sun said.
Mao has appointed Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Jian-yu as the commander of the CEOC. Chen's responsibilities are to direct the rescue operations while coordinating between TransAsia Airways and related government departments as well as collaborating with local emergency operation center commanders and the commander at the accident site. The CEOC commander is in charge of dispatching the Armed Forces, National Airborne Service Corps, National Fire Agency and Coast Guard Administration, utilizing the MOTC's resources, and directing the Mainland Affairs Council's cross-strait communication concerning this disaster.
The CEOC has been in close touch with its Taipei City Government counterpart and used daily videoconferencing to stay up to date on the rescue progress and provide any needed support, Sun said.
To aid the search and rescue mission, as of today the central government has made 27 helicopter and 1,574 person-times of personnel dispatches while also sending 250 vehicles, 106 boats, 75 sets of diving equipment and five metal detectors. (One dispatch of one person equals one person-time.) In addition, under the CEOC's direction, the following central agencies have made contributions:
- The MOTC has provided cranes with lifting capacity of 400 or 700 metric tons.
- The MND has supplied lighting equipment, M3 amphibious bridging vehicles, portable shower trailers, and drysuits.
- The Ministry of Justice prosecutorial staff has been on 24-hour shifts to identify the deceased and has issued death certificates for the 40 victims.
- The National Immigration Agency has promptly completed issuing 150 entry visas for families of the dead.
- On its website, the CAA has organized information related to inheritance, taxes, legal affairs, and counseling for the injured and the family members of the deceased.